Slip-on heel-splash guard for footwear



P 1950 M. F. ROBINSON 2,521,021

SLIP-ON HEEL-SPLASH GUARD FOR FOOTWEAR Filed May 28, 1947 INVEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 5, 1950 SLIP-ON HEEL-SPLASH GUARD FOR FOOTWEAR Myrtle F. Robinson; Baltimore, Md.

Application May 28, 1947, Serial No. 750,973

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mud guards for hosiery, and more particularly to a guard for preventing the muddy or other spatter made by the heel of a shoe when walking, or scampering, or running over wet or slushy streets or other places, from being deposited on the back of stockings.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a guard of this character that may be readily and easily slipped on, over, and off shoes, more particularly over only the heel and counter portion of a shoe or other footwear, such as the counter portion of stockings with counterless shoes, thus providing a downwardly and outwardly flaring shield close to the sides and in spaced relation around the rear of the heel of a shoe for arresting spatter thrown up wardly by centrifugal force from the bottom of the heel of a shoe, before it reaches the upper counter-portion of the footwear or portions of the stocking or other hosiery above the same, the guard being held snugly in place by a counter-portion encompassing member or portion and a heel breast gripping member or portion.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a mud guard of this character which is not cumbersome, but of light weight, pliable, yet completely waterproof and pleasing in appearance.

Another object of the invention is the pro-.

vision of a splash or spatter arresting guard of this character that is adapted to be carried by a shoe or other footwear, is easily and quickly applied to and removed from the .back of the shoe, and which can be washed under a faucet, patted dry, and returned to a ladys fine purse or handbag and retained inconspicuously there,

conveniently accessible at all times for future emergency use. 7

Still another object and advantage of the present invention is the provision of a spatter guard for hosiery of the character above set forth, which when applied to footwear leaves the same freely uncovered where there is much wear, thus avoiding use of heavy material and therefore eliminating fatigue.

The article of the present invention provides a choice of guard or shield of the type set forth that is constructed of a skin-thin transparent material, permitting the decorative color and trim of a shoe to continue to be advantageously displayed.

The guard of this invention also can be worn with certain types of overshoes, which makes it ideal for rainy or slushy weather.

' opposite shoe.

A pleasing object and advantage of the article of this invention is the provision of an article for the purpose having a downwardly and outwardly flaring skirt forming a shield at the back of footwear, extending around the rear of the heel; and a fastener therefor, comprising shoe counter and heel breast snugging members, which cling close to the sides of the heel and counter portions of the back of footwear, thus avoiding contact with. another thereof on the Having this comfort it is not necessary to remove them when coming indoors.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating three embodiments of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same parts in each of the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, illustrating the preferred form of construction of an article embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same, showing the article folded flat'on itself on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is vertical cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 2 in the plane of the line t4 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the article of Figs. 1 to 4 as applied to the shoe on the foot of a person;

Figure 6 is a front elevational View, like Fig. 1,

'- butof another, and next preferred, embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7, is a side elevational view of the same, flattened as in the case of Fig. 2;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatical line view, in side elevation, illustrating the article when applied to a shoe, as in the case of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the article of invention is shown as constructed of pliable, transparent waterproof and slightly elastic material, preferably plastic material, such as is conventionally employed for shower-bath water-repellant curtains. As shown, it comprises a counterportion encircling portion I5 for encompassing the counter-portion of a shoe or stocking from the line of one of the forward vertical edges I6 3 the region where the counter-portion snugging portion l5 fits against the top edge of the counter-portion at the rear of the shoe, when pulled on the shoe over the heel and drawn up over the counter-portion of a shoe so as to encompass the counter with a smooth neat fit, adhering to the counter-portion by frictional contact. For facilitating pulling the article over the heel and drawing it over the counter-portion of a shoe with a snug fit, the counter-portion encompassing portion [5 is extended beyond the dart Is to provide a finger grip portion 20 that permits grasping and pulling the article upwardly and downwardly over the heel and counter-portion in applying and in removing it. from the shoe.

The counter-portion encompassing portion f5 extends downwardly to form a skirt which. functions as a spatter guard or shield 2| below the line of junction 34 of the top. of the heel and the sole of the shoe or stocking when in place. The forward terminal extremities. 22 of the counter portion encompassing portion l5 are connected with each other by a separate piece of like material 23 at. a level intermediate the level 24 of the bottom edge of the shield and the level 25 of the top edge of the finger grip portion 20, so that when. the article is pulled on the shoe over the heel, the connecting piece 23 frictionally engages flatwise across the breast 26v of the heel of the shoe. The marginal terminal edges of the various portions are folded over on the side facing the shoe and formedinto a finished edge as diagrammatically indicated, for purpose of illustration, at 21. This may be, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1- to 5, simply the thermal fusing of. the surfaces with a warm iron under pressure. The heel breast crossconnectingportion 23 is likewise permanently securedto the counter encompassing portion 1.5 by such surface fusion.

It will be noted that the top marginal terminal edge 22 of the shoeecounter portion encompassingportion l5 recedes upwardly and rearwardly progressively away from the portion 23 that extends across the face of the breast of the heel, and likewise the bottom marginal terminal edge 22 recedes progressively away, but downwardly and outwardly therefrom. It will be seen from Figs. 1-7, that the top terminal edge 22 of the portion l5 extends forwardly from its upper rear portion for encompassing the upper inwardly curved rear portion of the counter portion of a shoe, to a region to the rear of the shank, as the line of the breast portion 23-, forming a selfclinging member that adheres to the sides and the round full inverted cup, which catches and arrests any mud or other spatter thrown up by the heel of the shoe in walking, scampering, or running, thus shielding and guarding the rear of the counter of the shoe and the stockings from such spatter or splash. The fullness of the finger grasping portion 20 is taken up in folds as shown.

In this embodiment, the heelbreast portion 23 is made of heavier material because of greater wear, since in pulling on the guard the force of the pull is about the piece 23, which acts as a fulcrum. It will also be noted that when in place on a shoe the lower, terminal edge of the skirt shield is at a level intermediate the level of the bottom of the heel and the level 3 of the top of the heel.

When not further required on the shoe the guard is: easily removed by grasping its finger grip portion 20 in the fingers; and peeling it off by a downward and rearward movement of the hand, whereupon the article slightly rotates about the cross piece 23 and also slides down off the heel.

Thereupon, it is easilycleaned and dried, and either folded neatly or even crumpled, whence it is returnable to the purse or handbag, wherein it takes up but an insignificant amount of space upper inwardly curved rear part of the counterportion of a shoe, solely by frictional contact therewith under the restraint of the heel breast strip 23, when pliable material, such as smooth rubber or plastic, ,is used as the shield.

The result of. this construction is that when slipped on over the heel, and then pulled up over the counter of the shoe the counter-portion snug.- ging portion l5 snug-1y adheres to the counterportion of the shoe and closely follows the outline. of the same along its sides and around its. rear. This causes the finger grasping portion 20 to then flare outwardly away from the hosiery at the line of the top of the edge or counter-portion of the shoe, and also causes the skirt 2| to form and is quite inconspicuous.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, the entire article is, in the form of a single unit formed of an endless tubular structure. In this form a tube of opaque elastic rubber open at opposite ends is folded fiat upon itself. At one fold 28 thetube is cut inwardly intermediate the top and bottom to provide two short horizontal lines 29 long enough that together they leave an intermediate connecting strip 23 long enough to extend across the breast of the heel of a shoe. From such inner extremity of lines of cut 29, the folded tube is then cut above the top horizontal line of cut upwardly and out. wardly away from the strip, and below the horizontal line of cut 29 downwardly and outwardly away from the strip 23. This, provides the necessary recession progressively away from the heel breast fulcrum portion 23, to provide, the lower shield for arresting spatter, the intermediate heel breast engaging portion23 and shoe counter-portion encompassing portion I5, for fastening the shield 2| on a shoe alongside the rear of the heel of the shoe, and the upper finger grasping portion 2.2. o

The article as illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is applied and removed from a shoe in the same manner as that described for the embodimentof Figs. 1 to 5.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is em bodied in particular form andmanner but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter.

I claim:

1. A mud guard for footwear comprising, an article adapted to be removably slipped over the heel on and off of the rear of a shoe, said article having an intermediate strip for fitting across the upper part of the breast of the heel of a shoe, and an encircling portion of pliable material extending around from one end to the other of the stripfor encircling-the rear of the shoe from one side edge to the other of the breast of the heel, said encircling portion of pliable material having its top marginal terminal edge receding upwardly and rearwardly progressive- 1y away from each end of, the heel breast strip, and? having its bottom marginal terminal edge receding progressively away downwardly and,v

outwardly from each end of the heel breast strip, t form a lower skirt portion for arresting spatter and an upper self-clinging counter-portion encompassing portion that adheres to the counterportion of a shoe solely by frictional contact therewith; said article being otherwise unconnected across its portions above and below the intermediate heel breast strip for otherwise securing the article removably in position on a shoe, and the upper counter-portion encompassing portion extending sufliciently above, and the lower skirt portion extending sufllciently below, the top and bottom of the intermediate heel breast strip with the upper marginal terminal edge of the counter-portion encompassing portion terminating rearwardly of the shank of the shoe but extending as high as the line of the top of the counter-portion of the shoe along each side and around the rear of the counterportion of the shoe that, when the article is drawn over the heel and onto the counter of a shoe, the force of the pull is about the heel breast strip acting as a fulcrum, and the counter-portion encompassing portion slides snugly over the upper part of the counter-portion and clings to the counter-portion of the shoe along the opposite sides and around the inwardly curved upper half of the rear thereof, and the article becomes self-clinging by adherence sole- 1y by the frictional contact of the upper counterportion encompassing portion in snuggling engagement with the opposite sides and the upper inwardly curved half of the rear of the counterportion of the shoe under the restraint of the heel breast strip acting on the breast of the heel, while the lower skirt portion assumes the form of a shield member skirting around, and downwardly and outwardly from, the lowermost inwardly curved part of the rear of the counterportion of the shoe, and around the rear of the heel between the top of the heel and a level intermediate the top and bottom of the heel.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which the lower skirt portion is also so arranged as to closely hug the sides of the heel when in place on a shoe, thus avoiding contact with another thereof on the other foot of the wearer.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which said upper nd. lower portions are formed of light weight, pliable, elastic Waterproof material that may be folded, and crumpled, and retained inconspicuously in a ladys fine purse, conveniently accessible at all timesv for emergency use.

4. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which said upper and lower portions are formed of skin-thin transparent, pliable, elastic plastic material, permitting the decorative color and trim of a shoe to continue to be displayed to advantage, and the article to be folded and crumpled, and retained inconspicuously in a ladys fine purse, conveniently accessible at all times for emergency use.

5. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which the counter-portion encompassing portion extends above the line f the top of the rear of the counter-portion of a shoe, and is provided with a reinforcing dart in the region engageable with such top edge.

6. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which the heel breast engaging portion is formed of a separate piece of material which is heavier than the other upper and lower portions, to withstand the greater wear and strain thereon.

'7. An article as claimed in claim 1, and in which the entire article is in the form of single unit formed of an endless tubular structure of elastic rubber, open at the top and bottom, and having the heel breast strip intermediate the upper counter-portion encompassing and lower heel skirt portions of the article.

8. A mud guard that fits snugly on the counter-portion of a shoe with a portion coming above the line of the top of the counter-portion of the shoe for grasping following the contour of the back of the counter-portion of the shoe and ankle and extending rearward forming a shield suflicient to prevent the spatter from the heel from reaching the back of stocking and continuing forward keeping within the width of the counter-portion of the shoe and as it converges at the edge of upper part of the breast of the heel, continues around the upper part of the breast of the heel to opposite side in one continuous portion, which is elastic-like material, making each side more or less identical, and which is otherwise unconnected across the top and bottom towards the front of the shoe above and below where it continues around the upper part of the breast of the heel.

MYRTLE F. ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 268,148 Italy ....1 Oct. 4, 1929 329,158 Italy Sept. 2, 1935 351,698 France July 22, 1905 422,078 France Mar. 11, 1911 

